The present invention relates to a method for producing benzoic acid derivatives, each having at least two trifluoromethyl groups on the benzene ring, which are useful as intermediates of medicines, agricultural chemicals and various functional materials, and a novel compound obtained by this method.
Japanese Patent First Publication JP-A-64-47 discloses a method for producing a carboxylic acid. In this method, an organic chloride having at least one chlorine atom on its ring is reacted with carbon monoxide at a temperature of 150-300.degree. C. in the presence of a base, using a palladium compound and a phosphine compound (e.g., bis(diphenylphosphino)butane) as catalysts.
Bull. Soc. Chim. France (1962) 587-93 discloses a method for producing 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid from 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene by Grignard reaction.
JP-A-9-67297 discloses a method for producing 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid and its ester. In this method, a starting material, 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)bromobenzene, is reacted with carbon monoxide and water or methanol in the presence of triethylamine and a catalyst that is a combination of palladium acetate and triphenylphosphine.